Jackson Michigan has a problem. Seems they have a downtown on street parking program and they can’t figure out how to pay for it.They let folks park on street for free ( and charge for off street parking ). Read all about it here.
For some unknown reason no one is happy. The merchants who foot the bill aren’t happy. And my guess is that the parkers who park on street aren’t happy because there aren’t enough spaces for them (most having been taken by employees of the complaining merchants). The city isn’t happy because it can’t find the money to pay for enforcement.
The problem is perplexing. I just can’t for the life of me figure out what they should do.
I mean, the idea of having people actually PAY for parking their cars on street must have never occurred to the city dads in Jackson. They have their parking policy upside down. It costs more to park in the less convenient spaces than it does in the most convenient spaces. And you get three hours free beside. That means employees can park for free and only have to move their cars twice a day. Not too shabby.
I know that it must be politically unpopular in Jackson for someone to suggest that parkers pay, however, if the money collected went directly back into the neighborhoods from wince it came, don’tcha think that it would be much more palatable?
Of course that’s up to Jackson.
JVH
One Response
There is no parking problem in Jackson. There’s a money problem in Jackson. Only the city complains about parking- and the cost to re-pave the city parking lots they keep buying.
Yes, meters would make more sense, but only if that removes the fees downtown businesses are charged for all of these city lots.
Strange, Jackson keeps billing downtown businessed for parking, sidewalk assesments, and permits for everything imaginable – and yet businesses keep moving out of city limits to the north side of town… I just can’t imagine why…